1 00:00:14,257 --> 00:00:17,127 We experimented on Pet Sounds and tried to write 2 00:00:17,131 --> 00:00:21,547 something better than the surf songs and car songs. 3 00:00:21,548 --> 00:00:24,718 It taps into all those feelings that we have as we're growing up, 4 00:00:24,823 --> 00:00:28,133 that somehow he's been able to express musically and lyrically. 5 00:00:28,134 --> 00:00:32,964 ♪ Wouldn't it be nice if we were older? 6 00:00:32,965 --> 00:00:37,505 ♪ Then we wouldn't have to wait so long ♪ 7 00:00:37,507 --> 00:00:41,297 Pet Sounds to me is this beautiful marriage of a child-like innocence, 8 00:00:41,298 --> 00:00:47,128 emotional vulnerability and an adult sort of musical genius. 9 00:00:47,131 --> 00:00:51,880 ♪ I keep looking for a place to fit in 10 00:00:51,881 --> 00:00:56,921 ♪ Where I can speak my mind ♪ 11 00:00:56,923 --> 00:01:00,714 It was different to anything that was going on at that time. 12 00:01:00,715 --> 00:01:02,575 It was the leader and everybody followed that. 13 00:01:02,581 --> 00:01:07,047 ♪ I know there's an answer 14 00:01:07,048 --> 00:01:10,464 ♪ I know now but I have to find it by myself ♪ 15 00:01:10,465 --> 00:01:12,714 Brian was the master of the studio. 16 00:01:12,715 --> 00:01:14,875 No one was his equal. 17 00:01:14,881 --> 00:01:18,714 It'll always be somewhere as long as you can hear music. 18 00:01:18,715 --> 00:01:22,585 ♪ If you should ever leave me 19 00:01:22,590 --> 00:01:25,049 ♪ Though life would still go on, believe me ♪ 20 00:01:25,050 --> 00:01:27,418 One of the greatest songs I've ever heard. 21 00:01:27,423 --> 00:01:29,589 That's the genius of it. 22 00:01:29,590 --> 00:01:32,380 People think, "Oh, I can do that," but they can't. 23 00:01:32,382 --> 00:01:35,672 It's something that only Brian could do, you know. 24 00:01:35,674 --> 00:01:40,844 ♪ God only knows what I'd be without you 25 00:01:43,382 --> 00:01:47,464 ♪ God only knows what I'd be without you ♪ 26 00:01:47,465 --> 00:01:49,755 My dad played a lot of music. He taught me how to play... 27 00:01:52,215 --> 00:01:56,755 That kind of a bassline. Like boogie-woogie music. 28 00:01:56,757 --> 00:01:59,717 He had a song called His Little Darling And You. 29 00:01:59,718 --> 00:02:04,165 ♪ He must return to his queen bee 30 00:02:04,173 --> 00:02:08,506 ♪ For his little darling and me ♪ 31 00:02:08,507 --> 00:02:10,464 He wrote that song. 32 00:02:10,465 --> 00:02:12,755 And then he said, "Do you like it?" I said, "I love it." 33 00:02:12,757 --> 00:02:16,837 He had a father in Murry Wilson who was classic showbiz. 34 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,220 There was a lot of pressure on him on many levels 35 00:02:19,221 --> 00:02:22,335 to keep the family business going. 36 00:02:22,340 --> 00:02:26,964 As children, Mike and Brian would frequent the family sing-alongs. 37 00:02:26,965 --> 00:02:30,835 Even back when they were little tykes. 38 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,005 They'd be in their car together singing the stuff on the radio 39 00:02:34,006 --> 00:02:35,136 and making up silly words. 40 00:02:35,140 --> 00:02:37,380 So it was automatic. 41 00:02:37,382 --> 00:02:38,702 Just like it was automatic 42 00:02:38,703 --> 00:02:40,147 when Dennis was tossed the drumsticks 43 00:02:40,348 --> 00:02:41,718 and he became a drummer overnight. 44 00:02:41,719 --> 00:02:44,255 All of it just fell in. 45 00:02:44,257 --> 00:02:46,167 Brian's cousin Mike would help him 46 00:02:46,173 --> 00:02:48,172 with the words in the very beginning. 47 00:02:48,173 --> 00:02:51,798 They had a lot in common with their taste. 48 00:02:51,799 --> 00:02:54,839 There were the earlier rock and roll hits 49 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,380 that were an inspiration to so many of us. 50 00:02:57,382 --> 00:03:00,672 Chuck Berry and Little Richard and The Everly Brothers. 51 00:03:01,799 --> 00:03:04,299 Those three were big influences on both, 52 00:03:04,300 --> 00:03:07,297 you know, The Beatles and The Beach Boys as well. 53 00:03:07,298 --> 00:03:10,668 We had the additional influence of The Four Freshmen 54 00:03:10,674 --> 00:03:13,130 who did this amazing harmony. 55 00:03:13,131 --> 00:03:16,671 Brian loved The Four Freshmen so much. 56 00:03:16,674 --> 00:03:18,714 ♪ Day by day 57 00:03:18,715 --> 00:03:21,415 ♪ You're making all my dreams come true 58 00:03:21,423 --> 00:03:27,422 ♪ So come what may I want you to know ♪ 59 00:03:27,423 --> 00:03:31,469 The Four Freshmen taught me how to sing, you know, like, high falsetto. 60 00:03:31,470 --> 00:03:35,125 And Brian just melded that sweet vocal harmony kind of a thing 61 00:03:35,131 --> 00:03:38,547 into something that was just sensational. 62 00:03:38,548 --> 00:03:40,378 ♪ Surfin' is the only life 63 00:03:40,382 --> 00:03:43,297 Mike was big into doo-wop. 64 00:03:43,298 --> 00:03:45,418 With the "bom boms" and the "doop doops." 65 00:03:45,423 --> 00:03:48,263 ♪ Bom Bom Dit Di Dit Dip Bom Bom Dit Di Dit Dip ♪ 66 00:03:48,264 --> 00:03:52,337 It started when we were asked to do a folk song. 67 00:03:52,340 --> 00:03:54,630 And we said, "Well, we like folk music," 68 00:03:54,632 --> 00:03:57,550 "but we're really more into RandB and rock and roll." 69 00:03:57,551 --> 00:03:59,047 Brian and I got around the piano 70 00:03:59,048 --> 00:04:00,838 and came up with the song Surfin'. 71 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:02,880 A very simple song. 72 00:04:02,881 --> 00:04:04,547 ♪ We're going surfin' 73 00:04:04,548 --> 00:04:06,878 - ♪ Bom bom dip di dit. - ♪ Surfin' 74 00:04:06,881 --> 00:04:08,550 - ♪ Bom bom dip di dit. - ♪ Surfin' 75 00:04:08,551 --> 00:04:10,878 - ♪ Bom bom dip di dit. - ♪ Surfin' ♪ 76 00:04:10,881 --> 00:04:13,130 It was an RandB-influenced song 77 00:04:13,131 --> 00:04:14,781 with the "bom bom, dip-di-dip-di-dips." 78 00:04:14,782 --> 00:04:18,422 But it was about surfing. It was a way of life. 79 00:04:18,423 --> 00:04:21,422 A way of dress, a way of talking, an attitude... 80 00:04:21,423 --> 00:04:23,464 A lifestyle. 81 00:04:23,465 --> 00:04:25,614 Capitol were looking for younger acts. 82 00:04:25,615 --> 00:04:26,995 Murry Wilson, The Beach Boys' dad, 83 00:04:27,098 --> 00:04:30,228 had sent in a demo record to Voyle Gilmore 84 00:04:30,231 --> 00:04:32,091 who was then head of AandR at Capitol. 85 00:04:32,092 --> 00:04:33,420 And Voyle gave it to Nick Venet, 86 00:04:33,423 --> 00:04:35,551 who was one of our producers there, to listen to. 87 00:04:35,552 --> 00:04:38,918 Nick came running into my office and said, "You gotta hear this." 88 00:04:38,923 --> 00:04:41,089 You know, he says... 89 00:04:41,090 --> 00:04:42,920 I listened to it. It just knocked me out. 90 00:04:42,923 --> 00:04:45,172 And I said, "Oh my gosh, we gotta sign them right now." 91 00:04:45,173 --> 00:04:47,547 "Before we lose them." You know? 92 00:04:47,548 --> 00:04:51,508 And we did Surfin' and it did really well in about half a dozen markets. 93 00:04:51,509 --> 00:04:55,007 But then Surfin' Safari became a reasonably big hit. 94 00:04:56,465 --> 00:05:00,214 ♪ Let's go surfin' now Everybody's learning how 95 00:05:00,215 --> 00:05:02,545 ♪ Come on a safari with me ♪ 96 00:05:02,548 --> 00:05:04,568 The sun was always shining, for a start. 97 00:05:04,769 --> 00:05:07,565 And everybody was gorgeous. 98 00:05:07,715 --> 00:05:09,964 And on the beach and all of that. 99 00:05:09,965 --> 00:05:13,085 I never aspired to go surfing or anything like that, frankly. 100 00:05:13,090 --> 00:05:15,050 Just to be there, see all these people 101 00:05:15,051 --> 00:05:18,464 and maybe go on a date with a guy like that, 102 00:05:18,465 --> 00:05:20,505 would be smashing. That's what we liked. 103 00:05:20,507 --> 00:05:22,716 I spoke to Brian about it after, 104 00:05:22,717 --> 00:05:25,625 and he said, "I love the lifestyle, I'm an observer." 105 00:05:25,632 --> 00:05:28,260 Loved the sunshine, the whole fashion thing that goes with it. 106 00:05:28,261 --> 00:05:31,047 "But I'm not into surfing because I don't swim." 107 00:05:31,048 --> 00:05:34,297 That was a bit of a revelation. 108 00:05:34,298 --> 00:05:38,088 And then Surfin' USA in 1963 was number one. 109 00:05:38,090 --> 00:05:39,939 Surfing and girls... Girls. Big on girl songs. 110 00:05:39,940 --> 00:05:42,630 So, and school... 111 00:05:42,632 --> 00:05:45,342 So, it kind of appealed to everyone, really, didn't it? 112 00:05:45,343 --> 00:05:48,589 The Midwest, they didn't know from surfing. 113 00:05:48,590 --> 00:05:52,170 It was the hot rod songs that got those guys going. 114 00:05:52,173 --> 00:05:55,589 ♪ Little deuce Coupe You don't know what I got 115 00:05:58,674 --> 00:06:02,422 ♪ Well, I'm not braggin' babe so don't put me down 116 00:06:02,423 --> 00:06:05,880 ♪ But I've got the fastest set of wheels in town 117 00:06:05,881 --> 00:06:09,091 ♪ When something comes up to me he don't even try 118 00:06:09,092 --> 00:06:12,170 ♪ 'Cause if I had a set of wings man I know she could fly 119 00:06:12,173 --> 00:06:14,880 ♪ She's my little deuce coupe 120 00:06:14,881 --> 00:06:16,839 ♪ You don't know what I got ♪ 121 00:06:16,840 --> 00:06:20,798 They loved the surfing records, they loved the hot rod records. 122 00:06:20,799 --> 00:06:23,229 I'm talking about the marketing guys, and the promotion guys 123 00:06:23,231 --> 00:06:24,980 who had to go out and promote these things. 124 00:06:24,981 --> 00:06:26,589 I can remember when Brian 125 00:06:26,590 --> 00:06:29,880 wanted to put out, I think it was Little Surfer Girl. 126 00:06:29,881 --> 00:06:31,550 And our promotion guys, were all, 127 00:06:31,551 --> 00:06:33,878 "This is gonna kill it. It's a ballad." 128 00:06:33,881 --> 00:06:35,591 Brian said, "No, this is gonna..." 129 00:06:35,592 --> 00:06:37,800 Surfer Girl was a wonderful record. 130 00:06:37,801 --> 00:06:41,169 I copied The Four Freshmen's singer. The high singer... 131 00:06:41,173 --> 00:06:43,223 And I wrote Surfer Girl like... 132 00:06:43,224 --> 00:06:46,375 ♪ Little surfer... 133 00:06:46,382 --> 00:06:49,798 ♪ Little one 134 00:06:49,799 --> 00:06:56,464 ♪ Made my heart come all undone 135 00:06:56,465 --> 00:07:03,795 ♪ Do you love me? Do you, surfer girl? ♪ 136 00:07:03,799 --> 00:07:07,589 So you had your surfing and your beach life, your car songs. 137 00:07:07,590 --> 00:07:11,130 But also everybody had to go to school. 138 00:07:11,131 --> 00:07:12,921 So we wrote a song, Be True To Your School. 139 00:07:14,340 --> 00:07:18,089 ♪ So be true to your school now 140 00:07:18,090 --> 00:07:20,470 ♪ Rah rah rah Be true to your school 141 00:07:20,471 --> 00:07:24,795 ♪ Rah rah rah Be true to your school ♪ 142 00:07:24,799 --> 00:07:27,519 I mean, we had our education pretty much set out for us. 143 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:30,505 Uh, Brian was our music teacher, 144 00:07:30,507 --> 00:07:33,007 and just being on the road was our road scholar stuff. 145 00:07:33,008 --> 00:07:35,876 We were on the road 100 days a year or more. 146 00:07:35,881 --> 00:07:37,091 And in the studio that many. 147 00:07:37,092 --> 00:07:39,880 So it was getting tough. 148 00:07:39,881 --> 00:07:44,047 I think Brian went through a crisis. I mean, the end of '64, 149 00:07:44,048 --> 00:07:46,508 The Beach Boys had been touring relentlessly, 150 00:07:46,509 --> 00:07:49,627 as they did in those days. They used to work those bands so hard. 151 00:07:49,632 --> 00:07:52,552 And the British Invasion scared him to death. 152 00:07:52,553 --> 00:07:55,714 He thought, it's all over. 153 00:07:55,715 --> 00:07:59,005 The Beatles are gonna take it over and that's it. We're out of business. 154 00:07:59,006 --> 00:08:01,126 And he was the centre of this group. 155 00:08:01,131 --> 00:08:04,256 He was the main man with The Beach Boys. 156 00:08:04,257 --> 00:08:07,627 So, in addition to doing all the work in the studio and the writing, 157 00:08:07,632 --> 00:08:12,214 he'd have to do all the publicising and all the promoting. 158 00:08:12,215 --> 00:08:15,875 Look at all those jobs he had. 159 00:08:15,881 --> 00:08:19,297 And anybody would cave in at some point. 160 00:08:19,298 --> 00:08:20,918 That's too much. 161 00:08:20,923 --> 00:08:23,342 We observed him being quite unhappy, 162 00:08:23,343 --> 00:08:26,089 being out on the road and away from home. 163 00:08:26,090 --> 00:08:28,964 And not everyone's suited for that life. 164 00:08:28,965 --> 00:08:32,005 He couldn't handle a lot of the things that went along with that. 165 00:08:32,006 --> 00:08:35,836 Like, the travelling. The loudness of it, it'd hurt his ear. 166 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,510 He was having trouble hearing out of his... He was deaf in one ear. 167 00:08:38,511 --> 00:08:41,337 I saw him have a breakdown on an aeroplane. 168 00:08:41,340 --> 00:08:43,964 I was sitting right next to him, 169 00:08:43,965 --> 00:08:46,165 thinking, "Well, this is it! It's over." 170 00:08:46,173 --> 00:08:47,613 "He's not gonna recover from this." 171 00:08:47,614 --> 00:08:50,967 Well, I wanted to spend more time at my house. 172 00:08:51,757 --> 00:08:52,757 Write songs at home. 173 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:56,339 And... 174 00:08:56,340 --> 00:08:58,759 So I told the guys, "I'm gonna stop touring." 175 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:02,467 And nobody could sing like Brian in terms of that falsetto 176 00:09:02,468 --> 00:09:06,214 and he played the bass with us in our live shows. 177 00:09:06,215 --> 00:09:08,255 And so it was not a happy occurrence 178 00:09:08,257 --> 00:09:14,256 to see him leave the live group. 179 00:09:14,257 --> 00:09:16,966 Capitol, on the other hand, was thinking... 180 00:09:16,967 --> 00:09:18,464 "Well, if he can make more records" 181 00:09:18,465 --> 00:09:20,964 "and make 'em as good or better than they are," 182 00:09:20,965 --> 00:09:22,165 "there's an upside to that." 183 00:09:22,166 --> 00:09:24,545 So there wasn't a great deal of worry 184 00:09:24,548 --> 00:09:26,217 as far as Capitol was concerned. 185 00:09:26,218 --> 00:09:31,375 Brian Wilson's decision to get off the road and to get into the studio 186 00:09:31,382 --> 00:09:33,922 is one of the most profound moments in rock history. 187 00:09:33,923 --> 00:09:39,172 'Cause it really is when Brian Wilson, I think, intuitively decided 188 00:09:39,173 --> 00:09:40,673 that he was gonna be an artist. 189 00:09:40,674 --> 00:09:43,506 Then he could spend more time writing, 190 00:09:43,507 --> 00:09:47,167 arranging and recording the tracks 191 00:09:47,173 --> 00:09:50,760 which we would sing when we would come back off of the tour. 192 00:09:50,761 --> 00:09:54,047 He found that his instrument was the recording studio. 193 00:09:54,048 --> 00:10:01,297 You could really hear instrumentation that was unique to rock music. 194 00:10:01,298 --> 00:10:04,168 And I personally think that the opening strains of California Girls 195 00:10:04,173 --> 00:10:05,723 is like an overture. 196 00:10:11,548 --> 00:10:13,878 It sounds symphonic to me, 197 00:10:13,881 --> 00:10:16,921 just the whole dynamic of it and it's beautiful. 198 00:10:18,340 --> 00:10:21,464 ♪ Well, east coast girls are hip 199 00:10:21,465 --> 00:10:26,545 ♪ I really dig those styles they wear 200 00:10:26,548 --> 00:10:30,588 ♪ And the southern girls with the way they talk 201 00:10:30,590 --> 00:10:33,547 ♪ They knock me out when I'm down there ♪ 202 00:10:33,548 --> 00:10:35,967 Brian was growing exponentially 203 00:10:35,968 --> 00:10:39,375 out of that three to four year time period since we started. 204 00:10:39,382 --> 00:10:41,798 He really... Boy, he blossomed. 205 00:10:41,799 --> 00:10:44,714 Yeah, everybody could see Brian evolve as a songwriter, composer. 206 00:10:44,715 --> 00:10:45,725 He even said so himself, 207 00:10:45,732 --> 00:10:48,547 when our first album was just released. 208 00:10:48,548 --> 00:10:50,547 And he was already talking about down the road 209 00:10:50,548 --> 00:10:52,798 when he was going to produce all this wonderful music. 210 00:10:52,799 --> 00:10:54,549 And he just kept true to his word. 211 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:59,880 ♪ I wish they all could be California 212 00:10:59,881 --> 00:11:05,464 ♪ I wish they all could be California girls ♪ 213 00:11:05,465 --> 00:11:08,295 The Beach Boys were, up till that point, 214 00:11:08,298 --> 00:11:11,506 sort of an embodiment of the California dream. 215 00:11:11,507 --> 00:11:16,217 And the success of "girls, surf, car, school" 216 00:11:17,173 --> 00:11:19,633 brought in the ability to have budgets 217 00:11:19,634 --> 00:11:23,047 to keep recording and experimenting, 218 00:11:23,048 --> 00:11:28,668 and now he's got a pack of brilliant musicians in the studio. 219 00:11:28,674 --> 00:11:31,010 Most people know them as The Wrecking Crew. 220 00:11:31,011 --> 00:11:33,626 And they were, basically, the top LA session players. 221 00:11:33,632 --> 00:11:35,672 People who'd come up through the jazz scene, 222 00:11:35,674 --> 00:11:39,756 who played on everything from Sonny and Cher 223 00:11:39,757 --> 00:11:42,256 to Frank Sinatra to The Mamas and The Papas, 224 00:11:42,257 --> 00:11:45,107 a lot of Phil Spector's records... They were on pretty much everything. 225 00:11:45,108 --> 00:11:47,336 He didn't rely on the Beach Boys band so much any more 226 00:11:47,340 --> 00:11:50,170 because he didn't have to. 227 00:11:50,173 --> 00:11:51,753 The minute those guys were on the road, 228 00:11:51,754 --> 00:11:57,338 he was really in the lab experimenting. 229 00:11:57,340 --> 00:11:58,980 One of the tracks he did was Sloop John B 230 00:11:58,981 --> 00:12:03,381 which, the idea for that came from Alan Jardine. 231 00:12:03,382 --> 00:12:07,714 Growing up as a teenager in Hawthorne, California, 232 00:12:07,715 --> 00:12:12,545 we were all mesmerised by this evolution of folk music 233 00:12:13,715 --> 00:12:16,085 that happened around late '50s, early '60s. 234 00:12:16,090 --> 00:12:20,380 And here comes the amazing trio, The Kingston Trio. 235 00:12:20,382 --> 00:12:23,381 ♪ We come on the sloop John B 236 00:12:23,382 --> 00:12:26,512 ♪ My grandfather and me 237 00:12:28,215 --> 00:12:32,585 So I wanted to share my joy of that with the guys. 238 00:12:32,590 --> 00:12:36,339 And I started messing around with some folk songs again. 239 00:12:36,340 --> 00:12:40,380 And, by golly, that darn ol' Kingston Trio stuff started coming back. 240 00:12:40,382 --> 00:12:42,464 ♪ Well, I feel so broke up 241 00:12:42,465 --> 00:12:47,214 ♪ I want to go home ♪ 242 00:12:47,215 --> 00:12:50,125 Al Jardine loved folk music so much, 243 00:12:50,131 --> 00:12:52,464 and when he was in high school, 244 00:12:52,465 --> 00:12:53,985 he would sing the Kingston Trio music 245 00:12:53,990 --> 00:12:57,089 and he always wanted to record it. 246 00:12:57,090 --> 00:12:59,860 Without Al's interest, I don't think Brian would've ever recorded it. 247 00:12:59,861 --> 00:13:02,797 I thought if I put it in his language... 248 00:13:02,799 --> 00:13:05,964 Put it in a way that he'd understand it, 249 00:13:05,965 --> 00:13:08,415 and give it a little oomph. 250 00:13:08,423 --> 00:13:10,973 You know, a little power, a little change... 251 00:13:10,974 --> 00:13:15,255 Get off the folk rhythm, get onto the Beach Boy rhythm. 252 00:13:15,257 --> 00:13:18,337 He actually showed Brian the chords and so on, like that. 253 00:13:18,340 --> 00:13:20,339 This is probably how I played it. 254 00:13:26,257 --> 00:13:27,587 A little more tempo. 255 00:13:32,257 --> 00:13:33,757 And here's the difference. 256 00:13:37,799 --> 00:13:40,714 There's the key. There's the turnaround 257 00:13:40,715 --> 00:13:42,875 that actually makes the vocals work. 258 00:13:42,881 --> 00:13:47,297 They become matchable because we've added a minor. 259 00:13:47,298 --> 00:13:48,717 And we did it together. 260 00:13:48,718 --> 00:13:52,714 I told him I would adapt the melody and make an arrangement to it. 261 00:13:52,715 --> 00:13:54,755 The next day, he had an arrangement done on it. 262 00:13:54,757 --> 00:13:57,506 He surprised the hell out of me. 263 00:13:57,507 --> 00:14:02,877 And he came up with quite a stunning track. 264 00:14:02,881 --> 00:14:04,931 Let's have the flutes one more time. 265 00:14:04,932 --> 00:14:06,802 Could I hear... 266 00:14:07,215 --> 00:14:09,255 One more. 267 00:14:09,257 --> 00:14:12,337 - Right there, don't move. - Don't move. 268 00:14:12,340 --> 00:14:14,700 All right, let's make it. Here we go. Sloop John B. 269 00:14:17,715 --> 00:14:21,465 ♪ We come on the sloop John B 270 00:14:22,090 --> 00:14:23,970 ♪ My grandfather and me 271 00:14:25,674 --> 00:14:31,384 ♪ Around Nassau town we did roam 272 00:14:33,173 --> 00:14:35,223 ♪ Drinking all night 273 00:14:36,465 --> 00:14:38,875 ♪ Got into a fight 274 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,340 ♪ Well, I feel so broke up 275 00:14:44,257 --> 00:14:46,467 ♪ I want to go home 276 00:14:48,757 --> 00:14:51,837 ♪ So hoist up the John B's sail 277 00:14:53,215 --> 00:14:54,215 ♪ See how the... 278 00:14:54,216 --> 00:14:58,214 Down beats... Unheard of, just down beats. 279 00:14:58,215 --> 00:14:59,464 ♪ ...captain ashore 280 00:14:59,465 --> 00:15:03,295 ♪ Let me go home 281 00:15:03,298 --> 00:15:05,547 ♪ Let me go home 282 00:15:05,548 --> 00:15:09,047 Building a track was something that Brian was very good at. 283 00:15:09,048 --> 00:15:13,547 It was a very simple part, obviously, it would get more elaborate. 284 00:15:13,548 --> 00:15:16,418 And, except for the intro, the horns and the flutes haven't played yet. 285 00:15:16,423 --> 00:15:18,714 They will come in here. 286 00:15:18,715 --> 00:15:20,965 ♪ The first mate he got drunk 287 00:15:22,923 --> 00:15:25,673 ♪ And broke in the Cap'n's trunk 288 00:15:27,757 --> 00:15:32,167 ♪ The constable had to come and take him away 289 00:15:32,173 --> 00:15:37,839 It's somehow the visualisation of being on that ship, 290 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:42,089 watching those waves, watching the sails. 291 00:15:42,090 --> 00:15:43,880 To me, it's all visual. 292 00:15:43,881 --> 00:15:48,130 Just something to spice up the feeling 293 00:15:48,131 --> 00:15:51,297 of being on the ocean. 294 00:15:51,298 --> 00:15:53,548 So, we're towards the end of the song. 295 00:15:55,799 --> 00:15:58,469 And you'll see that Hal's part changes. 296 00:16:02,423 --> 00:16:05,763 Now, another 16 bars, we want it... We want it bigger. 297 00:16:08,340 --> 00:16:09,920 And it's still changing. 298 00:16:09,923 --> 00:16:11,923 It's a little rougher seas, maybe. 299 00:16:14,048 --> 00:16:15,468 And it's getting bigger and bigger, 300 00:16:15,473 --> 00:16:21,047 and now I'm playing straight eighths with two drums, 301 00:16:21,048 --> 00:16:23,428 which is one of the tricks I always did with The Beach Boys. 302 00:16:23,431 --> 00:16:26,631 Snare drum and a floor tom-tom. 303 00:16:26,632 --> 00:16:31,512 So you're getting the highs of the snare, the lows of the floor tom-tom. 304 00:16:31,513 --> 00:16:33,797 ♪ So hoist up the John B's sail 305 00:16:33,799 --> 00:16:35,049 ♪ See how the mainsail sets ♪ 306 00:16:35,050 --> 00:16:38,047 He didn't invite me to the session, 307 00:16:38,048 --> 00:16:39,408 which I thought was kind of rude, 308 00:16:39,409 --> 00:16:42,005 but, you know, I quickly forgave him. 309 00:16:42,006 --> 00:16:45,836 Because he was on a roll, man. He was on fire. 310 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,670 So, you know, I just backed off. 311 00:16:48,674 --> 00:16:51,673 I thought, "You know what? He got it. I got through." 312 00:16:51,674 --> 00:16:53,798 And that was the main thing. 313 00:16:53,799 --> 00:16:57,589 What you see with The Beach Boys right before Pet Sounds 314 00:16:57,590 --> 00:16:59,839 is that rock and roll was about getting a hit. 315 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:02,670 It was always about the next hit. 316 00:17:02,674 --> 00:17:05,673 And just giving you something that maybe sounded enough like the last one 317 00:17:05,674 --> 00:17:07,422 to get another hit. 318 00:17:07,423 --> 00:17:10,922 Oh, man, we became a touring jukebox. 319 00:17:10,923 --> 00:17:13,839 Yeah. We were like a jukebox band. 320 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:18,964 Really, that idea of the rock and roll album was just beginning to exist. 321 00:17:18,965 --> 00:17:22,715 You know, it's really The Beatles, around Rubber Soul, 322 00:17:23,507 --> 00:17:25,547 step up the game in a major way. 323 00:17:25,548 --> 00:17:31,378 Anything and everything The Beatles did was worth paying notice to, 324 00:17:31,382 --> 00:17:35,297 and it was an inspiration. Rubber Soul in particular. 325 00:17:35,298 --> 00:17:40,047 Brian Wilson is very introspective, melancholy... 326 00:17:40,048 --> 00:17:42,588 Might have been afraid to express himself that way. 327 00:17:42,590 --> 00:17:44,718 The Rubber Soul album by The Beatles, 328 00:17:44,719 --> 00:17:46,545 I think, might have sparked Brian, 329 00:17:46,548 --> 00:17:48,008 opened a little window for him. 330 00:17:48,009 --> 00:17:51,166 ♪ Nowhere Man, please listen 331 00:17:51,173 --> 00:17:54,173 ♪ You don't know what you're missing 332 00:17:56,215 --> 00:18:03,295 ♪ Nowhere Man The world is at your command ♪ 333 00:18:03,298 --> 00:18:06,378 "Maybe I can be introspective in my art", 334 00:18:06,382 --> 00:18:10,506 "and express my melancholy through songs and stuff." 335 00:18:10,507 --> 00:18:13,964 You could see there that he was, you know... 336 00:18:13,965 --> 00:18:16,714 Something's going on in this guy's head. 337 00:18:16,715 --> 00:18:19,505 It's not the average "My girlfriend left me at the high school dance." 338 00:18:19,606 --> 00:18:20,966 There was something more going on. 339 00:18:20,967 --> 00:18:23,585 I experimented on Pet Sounds. 340 00:18:23,590 --> 00:18:25,589 I tried to write something better 341 00:18:25,590 --> 00:18:27,920 than the surf songs and car songs. 342 00:18:27,923 --> 00:18:30,260 Maybe my favourite Brian song of all time is 343 00:18:30,261 --> 00:18:32,377 I Just Wasn't Made For These Times. 344 00:18:32,382 --> 00:18:34,422 It's where he hits the truth. 345 00:18:34,423 --> 00:18:39,381 ♪ I keep looking for a place to fit in 346 00:18:39,382 --> 00:18:43,592 ♪ Where I can speak my mind 347 00:18:45,257 --> 00:18:47,917 The first line. 348 00:18:47,923 --> 00:18:50,133 How many people in this world haven't felt that way? 349 00:18:50,134 --> 00:18:53,130 "I'm looking for a place to fit in." 350 00:18:53,131 --> 00:18:55,371 "I'm just looking for a place where I can speak my mind." 351 00:18:55,372 --> 00:18:57,525 I think that really crystallises 352 00:18:57,632 --> 00:19:00,472 um, a lot of the impetus behind Pet Sounds, 353 00:19:00,473 --> 00:19:04,375 that Brian was finding a place to really express himself. 354 00:19:04,382 --> 00:19:09,672 ♪ I've been trying hard to find the people 355 00:19:09,674 --> 00:19:14,297 ♪ That I won't leave behind ♪ 356 00:19:14,298 --> 00:19:16,147 That was like a social statement, like saying, 357 00:19:16,148 --> 00:19:19,214 I thought I was a little bit out of time. 358 00:19:19,215 --> 00:19:22,085 I thought I was a little ahead of my time. 359 00:19:22,090 --> 00:19:24,470 We had talked about that idea even before 360 00:19:24,471 --> 00:19:26,795 we did some of the other songs. 361 00:19:26,799 --> 00:19:30,217 So I think it was something that kinda came up occasionally, 362 00:19:30,218 --> 00:19:31,964 as we were discussing lyric ideas. 363 00:19:31,965 --> 00:19:34,665 They're not clever-clever. 364 00:19:34,674 --> 00:19:37,673 None of the lyrics on Pet Sounds are clever-clever. 365 00:19:37,674 --> 00:19:39,673 They would just get right to the heart, 366 00:19:39,674 --> 00:19:40,974 and say what they've got to say. 367 00:19:40,975 --> 00:19:43,165 ♪ They say, I got brains 368 00:19:43,173 --> 00:19:47,005 ♪ But they ain't doing me no good 369 00:19:47,006 --> 00:19:50,756 ♪ I wish they could ♪ 370 00:19:50,757 --> 00:19:52,797 It just had a feeling of like, 371 00:19:52,799 --> 00:19:57,256 "I wish I could find people that could help me find a cooler place." 372 00:19:57,257 --> 00:19:58,257 It's a simple song. 373 00:19:58,258 --> 00:20:01,917 But when you hear the vocal stuff on it, 374 00:20:01,923 --> 00:20:04,673 it's not a simple song, it's not that easy to do. 375 00:20:04,674 --> 00:20:09,514 The harmonies are the distinctive quality of The Beach Boys' recordings. 376 00:20:09,515 --> 00:20:16,837 I think that's the one thing that's very unique to The Beach Boys. 377 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:18,589 The refinement of the harmonies, 378 00:20:18,590 --> 00:20:20,420 and the closeness of the harmonies, 379 00:20:20,423 --> 00:20:23,223 and the warmth of the harmonies, and the blend. 380 00:20:23,224 --> 00:20:27,665 There's something that is in their DNA, I guess, you know. 381 00:20:27,674 --> 00:20:30,381 They come from the same heritage. 382 00:20:30,382 --> 00:20:33,172 The singing is an expression of yourself, your feelings. 383 00:20:35,799 --> 00:20:40,339 And so, me and my brothers sang together. 384 00:20:40,340 --> 00:20:43,549 Because we're a family, three brothers and my cousin, Mike. 385 00:20:43,550 --> 00:20:45,967 So we blend together very well, very good. 386 00:20:45,968 --> 00:20:50,835 Al Jardine, Mike Love, Carl Wilson, Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, 387 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,339 it's those timbres. 388 00:20:53,340 --> 00:20:55,547 In fact, now slide me in there. 389 00:20:55,548 --> 00:20:57,047 Now there's six. 390 00:20:57,048 --> 00:20:59,758 And listen to, on the Pet Sounds album, 391 00:20:59,759 --> 00:21:02,877 this track called I Just Wasn't Made For These Times. 392 00:21:02,881 --> 00:21:04,964 There's six of us singing. 393 00:21:04,965 --> 00:21:09,214 ♪ Each time things start to happen again 394 00:21:09,215 --> 00:21:13,585 ♪ I think I got something good goin' for myself 395 00:21:13,590 --> 00:21:16,050 ♪ But what goes wrong? 396 00:21:16,757 --> 00:21:21,005 ♪ Sometimes I feel very sad 397 00:21:21,006 --> 00:21:27,416 ♪ Sometimes I feel very sad 398 00:21:27,423 --> 00:21:32,422 ♪ Can't find nothin' I can put my heart and soul into ♪ 399 00:21:32,423 --> 00:21:36,798 And there's a quality and a blend about the voices 400 00:21:36,799 --> 00:21:39,629 that nobody has copied. 401 00:21:39,632 --> 00:21:43,472 There've been tribute bands, who've obviously copied them, 402 00:21:43,473 --> 00:21:49,125 but nobody's been able to reach that height of... 403 00:21:49,131 --> 00:21:52,671 To me, it's quite jazzy, and that's one of the reasons I like it. 404 00:21:52,674 --> 00:21:56,174 But that height of sophistication, musically, and the sound, 405 00:21:56,715 --> 00:21:58,625 ah, it was unique. 406 00:21:58,632 --> 00:22:03,464 ♪ I guess I just wasn't made for these times 407 00:22:03,465 --> 00:22:09,255 ♪ I guess I just wasn't made for these times 408 00:22:09,257 --> 00:22:16,005 ♪ I guess I just wasn't made for these times ♪ 409 00:22:16,006 --> 00:22:18,046 I Just Wasn't Made For These Times 410 00:22:18,048 --> 00:22:19,547 is kind of an artistic statement, 411 00:22:19,548 --> 00:22:22,008 saying, "I am not going to fit in to my times." 412 00:22:22,009 --> 00:22:24,416 "I'm going to determine them." 413 00:22:24,423 --> 00:22:25,964 And he did. 414 00:22:25,965 --> 00:22:28,335 He did, The Beatles did, and Bob Dylan. 415 00:22:28,340 --> 00:22:33,339 They all stopped trying to make pop music 416 00:22:33,340 --> 00:22:36,170 in the traditional sense, and tried to make art. 417 00:22:36,173 --> 00:22:38,093 And that's why popular music became art. 418 00:22:38,094 --> 00:22:40,130 ♪ Lucky Lockets are such fun 419 00:22:40,131 --> 00:22:43,381 ♪ Tiny kiddles in each one ♪ 420 00:22:43,382 --> 00:22:46,381 I met Brian Wilson the first time at Capitol Recording Studios. 421 00:22:46,382 --> 00:22:49,172 I was working for an advertising agency, 422 00:22:49,173 --> 00:22:51,005 it was part of my job. 423 00:22:51,006 --> 00:22:53,466 I was doing jingles and writing commercials. 424 00:22:59,715 --> 00:23:03,045 That was it. That was the whole jingle, and it was two notes, 425 00:23:03,048 --> 00:23:04,714 and so effective. 426 00:23:04,715 --> 00:23:07,165 And so I go outside the studio and I walk down the hall, 427 00:23:07,173 --> 00:23:11,339 and I guess I just ran into Brian, 428 00:23:11,340 --> 00:23:13,920 and the two of us were standing there, we started talking. 429 00:23:13,923 --> 00:23:15,673 He said, "Hi, how are you?" 430 00:23:15,674 --> 00:23:18,424 "Hi, how are you?" That's a Brian thing. 431 00:23:18,425 --> 00:23:19,882 And I said, "Great. How are you?" 432 00:23:19,883 --> 00:23:23,261 "What are you working on?" And he said, "We're doing some stuff... 433 00:23:23,262 --> 00:23:25,667 "Hey, you wanna listen to this?" 434 00:23:25,674 --> 00:23:29,424 I was very impressed with some of the stuff I heard in that session 435 00:23:29,425 --> 00:23:31,883 because they were not finished tracks. 436 00:23:31,884 --> 00:23:34,964 It was sublime. I mean, it was really... 437 00:23:34,965 --> 00:23:36,875 I couldn't have imagined anything better. 438 00:23:36,881 --> 00:23:40,509 Tony was a very mellow person. He was a very nice guy. 439 00:23:40,510 --> 00:23:44,667 Kind of low-key, he wasn't a real peppy guy, he was kinda low-key. 440 00:23:44,674 --> 00:23:47,214 I went back to doing what I was doing, 441 00:23:47,215 --> 00:23:48,775 and I didn't know if I'd see him again. 442 00:23:48,882 --> 00:23:51,589 A few weeks later, I got a phone call. 443 00:23:51,590 --> 00:23:56,339 I was surprised, because I thought, "Why would he be calling me?" 444 00:23:56,340 --> 00:23:58,689 Just to say, "Hey, it was fun the other day," or something? 445 00:23:58,690 --> 00:24:00,089 It didn't seem to make sense. 446 00:24:00,090 --> 00:24:02,759 He was good with words from his advertisements. 447 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,837 I asked him if he could write lyrics, he said, "Sure I can write lyrics." 448 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,800 And he said, "Well, I'm just sitting around at the piano." 449 00:24:08,801 --> 00:24:12,089 "I thought maybe you might wanna do some stuff together." 450 00:24:12,090 --> 00:24:15,547 "The boys are in Japan." 451 00:24:15,548 --> 00:24:18,508 And he said, "I don't really have anybody to write with." 452 00:24:18,509 --> 00:24:21,337 So he came to my house, and we started writing Pet Sounds. 453 00:24:21,340 --> 00:24:24,547 ♪ Wouldn't it be nice if we were older 454 00:24:24,548 --> 00:24:28,464 ♪ Then we wouldn't have to wait so long 455 00:24:28,465 --> 00:24:31,415 ♪ And wouldn't it be nice to live together 456 00:24:31,423 --> 00:24:35,763 ♪ In the kind of world where we belong 457 00:24:36,881 --> 00:24:40,714 ♪ You know it's gonna make it that much better 458 00:24:40,715 --> 00:24:46,545 ♪ When we can say goodnight and stay together ♪ 459 00:24:46,548 --> 00:24:50,005 Tony Asher's contribution is fantastic. 460 00:24:50,006 --> 00:24:52,256 He's a marvellous writer. 461 00:24:52,257 --> 00:24:55,005 Well, I knew he was great. 462 00:24:55,006 --> 00:24:58,296 He liked the way I wrote melodies, and I liked his lyrics. 463 00:24:58,298 --> 00:24:59,967 We wrote during the day. 464 00:24:59,968 --> 00:25:04,505 And he would come to my house, and he'd have his paper and his pen. 465 00:25:04,507 --> 00:25:06,087 I would write a little bit, 466 00:25:06,090 --> 00:25:07,880 then he wrote a little lyrics. 467 00:25:07,881 --> 00:25:12,421 He must have just felt it was someone who would listen to him, 468 00:25:12,423 --> 00:25:16,589 and who could help channel him through lyrics. 469 00:25:16,590 --> 00:25:22,547 They're all great, and I really like the work that Tony Asher did. 470 00:25:22,548 --> 00:25:26,128 The fact that Brian just meets a guy who's in advertising, 471 00:25:26,131 --> 00:25:28,339 and somehow ends up writing 472 00:25:28,340 --> 00:25:34,256 some of the most important lyrics of all time with this man, Tony Asher, 473 00:25:34,257 --> 00:25:36,007 that are timeless. It's just, uh... 474 00:25:36,008 --> 00:25:37,166 It's kind of inexplicable. 475 00:25:37,173 --> 00:25:40,673 Well, he had the knack for making people feel good. 476 00:25:40,674 --> 00:25:45,547 I thought that was a nice, young idea for a song 477 00:25:45,548 --> 00:25:48,628 which is, you know, "Wouldn't it be nice if we were older?" 478 00:25:48,632 --> 00:25:51,798 When I was 14 and I came into the business, 479 00:25:51,799 --> 00:25:55,258 well, I was 14 and whatever I'd have done, I thought I was so grown-up. 480 00:25:55,259 --> 00:25:57,547 We were. The girls anyway. The fellas... 481 00:25:58,465 --> 00:26:01,125 But we thought we were so grown-up. 482 00:26:01,131 --> 00:26:03,009 We wanted to be older, and be able 483 00:26:03,010 --> 00:26:04,546 to be free to do this and to do that. 484 00:26:04,548 --> 00:26:07,047 Not have our parents tell us "No, you can't." 485 00:26:07,048 --> 00:26:08,668 Asher was clever in that way, 486 00:26:08,674 --> 00:26:10,974 in the way he led an ambiguity to his lyrics, 487 00:26:10,975 --> 00:26:16,085 which had, essentially, a very simple message taken at face value. 488 00:26:16,090 --> 00:26:17,550 If you go into it, you'll find 489 00:26:17,551 --> 00:26:20,418 there's a more spiritual side to it, 490 00:26:20,423 --> 00:26:25,506 and a more complex message coming across. 491 00:26:25,507 --> 00:26:29,047 The album is the sound of him trying to sort of explore 492 00:26:30,215 --> 00:26:32,085 becoming an adult. 493 00:26:32,090 --> 00:26:36,670 Because I think he may have had a sort of delayed go at that. 494 00:26:36,674 --> 00:26:37,674 Great song. 495 00:26:42,423 --> 00:26:44,013 Here's the explosion. 496 00:26:46,632 --> 00:26:49,022 You're trying to get Hal to play the intro the way you want. 497 00:26:49,023 --> 00:26:50,673 Right. 498 00:26:50,674 --> 00:26:52,634 Hal, here's how I want to do it. 499 00:26:52,635 --> 00:26:53,922 It's like this. 500 00:26:55,923 --> 00:26:57,631 - Three, four... - Boom... 501 00:26:57,632 --> 00:26:59,681 I wanted Hal to hit the drums as hard as he could, 502 00:26:59,682 --> 00:27:01,022 so we can get an echo. 503 00:27:09,298 --> 00:27:12,628 ♪ Wouldn't it be nice if we were older 504 00:27:12,632 --> 00:27:15,756 ♪ Then we wouldn't have to wait so long 505 00:27:15,757 --> 00:27:20,417 ♪ And wouldn't it be nice to live together 506 00:27:20,423 --> 00:27:22,723 ♪ In the kind of world where we belong 507 00:27:24,632 --> 00:27:26,172 Everybody was doing that. 508 00:27:26,173 --> 00:27:29,256 It was double voicing, double tracking. 509 00:27:29,257 --> 00:27:31,964 So we wanted to do like everybody else. 510 00:27:31,965 --> 00:27:34,585 ♪ ...and stay together 511 00:27:35,423 --> 00:27:37,547 ♪ Wouldn't it be nice... 512 00:27:37,548 --> 00:27:39,028 The thing I've loved about this track 513 00:27:39,032 --> 00:27:42,130 is that when you take the leads out... 514 00:27:42,131 --> 00:27:44,300 - Right. - And just play the backgrounds, 515 00:27:44,301 --> 00:27:46,297 - and the backing track, if you will. - Right. 516 00:27:46,298 --> 00:27:48,297 It's such an amazing... 517 00:27:50,507 --> 00:27:51,947 Where are the voices? The background? 518 00:27:54,674 --> 00:27:56,089 There they are. 519 00:27:56,090 --> 00:27:57,839 The Beach Boys. 520 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,839 ♪ Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up 521 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:05,464 ♪ In the morning when the day is new 522 00:28:05,465 --> 00:28:09,665 ♪ And after having spent the day together 523 00:28:09,674 --> 00:28:13,010 ♪ Hold each other close the whole night through ♪ 524 00:28:13,011 --> 00:28:14,126 Yeah. 525 00:28:15,465 --> 00:28:17,255 Wouldn't It Be Nice, total stress. 526 00:28:17,257 --> 00:28:18,717 Brings back good memories. 527 00:28:18,718 --> 00:28:22,255 That was one that just was never quite right. 528 00:28:23,507 --> 00:28:27,005 And just... In his mind, he just didn't hear it. 529 00:28:27,006 --> 00:28:28,036 He wasn't hearing it. 530 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:29,500 "Guys, you can do better than that." 531 00:28:29,501 --> 00:28:34,047 Brian was between a hipster 532 00:28:34,048 --> 00:28:40,168 and one of your famous British generals that was tough. 533 00:28:40,173 --> 00:28:43,093 He was tough. He demanded everything from everybody. 534 00:28:43,094 --> 00:28:48,089 Wouldn't It Be Nice is upbeat and fabulous. It's a great arrangement. 535 00:28:48,090 --> 00:28:54,798 We worked many hours perfecting the harmonies on that one. 536 00:28:54,799 --> 00:28:57,799 That was a labour of love, that's for sure. 537 00:28:58,674 --> 00:29:00,839 Do you remember why you decided 538 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:03,798 to put Mike back in the bridge on Wouldn't It Be Nice? 539 00:29:03,799 --> 00:29:06,379 Yeah, because I wanted him to take part in that song. - Right. 540 00:29:06,382 --> 00:29:10,672 ♪ Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray it might come true 541 00:29:14,881 --> 00:29:20,506 ♪ Baby, then there wouldn't be a single thing we couldn't do 542 00:29:20,507 --> 00:29:24,417 ♪ We could be married 543 00:29:24,423 --> 00:29:26,093 ♪ And then we'd be happy... ♪ 544 00:29:26,094 --> 00:29:29,339 I was stunned sometimes 545 00:29:29,340 --> 00:29:35,047 by how much he had going on in his head that I never dreamed was there 546 00:29:35,048 --> 00:29:38,088 because... You can't hear it, until you can hear it. 547 00:29:38,090 --> 00:29:41,380 I wanted to record Wouldn't It Be Nice at Gold Star 548 00:29:41,382 --> 00:29:44,760 because that has a good echo chamber, and I like the echo. 549 00:29:44,761 --> 00:29:47,297 Be My Baby, Brian has probably listened to that 550 00:29:47,298 --> 00:29:49,418 more than he's listened to any other song 551 00:29:49,423 --> 00:29:51,756 or songs combined. 552 00:29:51,757 --> 00:29:55,587 He would play it repeatedly, incessantly. 553 00:29:55,590 --> 00:29:59,170 He was mesmerized by Be My Baby, by The Ronettes, 554 00:29:59,173 --> 00:30:01,172 but produced by Phil Spector. 555 00:30:01,173 --> 00:30:02,263 And then, the bassline... 556 00:30:06,632 --> 00:30:10,132 It had a great bassline and a great melody and a great singer, Ronnie. 557 00:30:10,133 --> 00:30:14,589 - ♪ So won't you, please? - ♪ Be my, be my baby 558 00:30:14,590 --> 00:30:18,297 - ♪ Be my little baby. - ♪ My one and only baby 559 00:30:18,298 --> 00:30:20,838 - ♪ Say you'll be my darlin' - ♪ Be my, be my baby 560 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:24,464 - ♪ Be my baby now. - ♪ My one and only baby 561 00:30:24,465 --> 00:30:27,125 ♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh 562 00:30:27,131 --> 00:30:28,971 Phil had a huge impact on him. 563 00:30:28,972 --> 00:30:34,964 Brian loved that Wall of Sound that Phil Spector had. 564 00:30:34,965 --> 00:30:38,005 He loved the records that Phil Spector made, 565 00:30:38,006 --> 00:30:41,506 and Phil was a genius, too. He was making hit after hit after hit. 566 00:30:41,507 --> 00:30:44,377 ♪ Be my, be my baby 567 00:30:44,382 --> 00:30:49,464 - ♪ Be my little baby. - ♪ My one and only baby ♪ 568 00:30:49,465 --> 00:30:52,214 Phil Spector got word about us. 569 00:30:52,215 --> 00:30:57,214 And Phil came, we started working at Gold Star for Phil. 570 00:30:57,215 --> 00:31:01,125 Almost everything we touched with Phil Spector became giant hits. 571 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:03,506 Big hits. 572 00:31:03,507 --> 00:31:05,147 And he was calling this the Wall of Sound. 573 00:31:06,090 --> 00:31:09,506 There would be four or five guitar players, 574 00:31:09,507 --> 00:31:12,297 three or four piano players, always one drummer, 575 00:31:14,173 --> 00:31:17,053 two bass players, he liked to use an upright bass player 576 00:31:17,054 --> 00:31:18,878 with a Fender bass player. 577 00:31:18,881 --> 00:31:21,381 And then he would have a percussion section. 578 00:31:21,382 --> 00:31:25,591 And that was it, we were all in one room, but it made a wonderful sound. 579 00:31:25,592 --> 00:31:27,630 And Brian fell in love with that sound. 580 00:31:27,632 --> 00:31:32,172 He wanted the same enthusiasm. 581 00:31:33,215 --> 00:31:35,214 He wanted the same musicians. 582 00:31:35,215 --> 00:31:38,714 There were four or five of us who were always with Brian. 583 00:31:38,715 --> 00:31:41,375 The Wall of Sound, you have to give 584 00:31:41,382 --> 00:31:43,591 Phil Spector credit for building it. 585 00:31:43,592 --> 00:31:45,420 But I think the wall that Brian built 586 00:31:45,423 --> 00:31:49,214 was more textured and much more subtle. 587 00:31:49,215 --> 00:31:52,125 There's just sort of a musicality to Brian's work 588 00:31:52,131 --> 00:31:53,931 that goes beyond what Spector ever dreamed of. 589 00:32:05,923 --> 00:32:11,422 ♪ I came along when he broke your heart 590 00:32:11,423 --> 00:32:13,880 ♪ That's when you needed someone 591 00:32:13,881 --> 00:32:16,297 ♪ To help forget about him 592 00:32:16,298 --> 00:32:19,838 Well, I wanted to mix up a love song with a happy song. 593 00:32:20,423 --> 00:32:22,256 Put the two together. 594 00:32:22,257 --> 00:32:25,256 It's too easy to give all the credit to Brian and Tony Asher. 595 00:32:25,257 --> 00:32:28,377 I'm Waiting For The Day is great, that's not Tony Asher, 596 00:32:28,382 --> 00:32:31,214 that's an example of Mike having real skill as a writer. 597 00:32:31,215 --> 00:32:32,455 We were dealing with emotions. 598 00:32:32,457 --> 00:32:35,337 I'm Waiting For The Day is a beautiful way 599 00:32:35,340 --> 00:32:39,259 of saying that you can find something special in someone, 600 00:32:39,260 --> 00:32:43,047 and they may not be ready at that moment in time to engage. 601 00:32:43,048 --> 00:32:47,464 But you find that they're worth waiting for. 602 00:32:47,465 --> 00:32:49,464 ♪ I kissed your lips 603 00:32:49,465 --> 00:32:52,464 ♪ When your face looked sad 604 00:32:52,465 --> 00:32:55,045 ♪ It made me think about him 605 00:32:55,048 --> 00:32:58,714 ♪ And that you still loved him so 606 00:32:58,715 --> 00:32:59,964 Brian is such an artist, 607 00:32:59,965 --> 00:33:03,045 that he allowed the genius of these players 608 00:33:03,048 --> 00:33:05,297 to also come into the equation. 609 00:33:05,298 --> 00:33:08,338 No one appreciated these great players more than Brian. 610 00:33:08,340 --> 00:33:12,798 This was the very beginnings of rock and roll, remember. 611 00:33:12,799 --> 00:33:16,629 Many musicians refused to play rock and roll music. 612 00:33:16,632 --> 00:33:20,422 They said it's junk, it's garbage, it's rotten, it's dirty. 613 00:33:20,423 --> 00:33:24,303 Because they were always in suits and ties, very straight, no smoking. 614 00:33:25,173 --> 00:33:28,673 Who knew that we were gonna move in 615 00:33:28,674 --> 00:33:29,974 and take over this kind of thing? 616 00:33:29,975 --> 00:33:32,130 And then the guys that were doing 617 00:33:32,131 --> 00:33:35,130 all the movie calls, the film calls, said, 618 00:33:35,131 --> 00:33:36,880 "Those guys are gonna wreck the business." 619 00:33:36,881 --> 00:33:40,671 The tracking was fun, I think, for him. 620 00:33:40,674 --> 00:33:44,047 Because he got to hang with The Wrecking Crew, 621 00:33:44,048 --> 00:33:47,168 and just experiment to heck, and spend as much money as he wanted. 622 00:33:47,173 --> 00:33:50,798 You know, he was like a kid in a candy shop. 623 00:33:50,799 --> 00:33:54,629 These players could play anything. 624 00:33:54,632 --> 00:33:58,047 And Brian just had this baby symphony pool 625 00:33:58,048 --> 00:34:01,468 of amazing musicians to work with. 626 00:34:03,465 --> 00:34:09,835 ♪ I'm waiting for the day when you can love again ♪ 627 00:34:17,757 --> 00:34:22,797 It was extremely unusual to see a female musician working in the studios. 628 00:34:22,799 --> 00:34:24,967 Carol Kaye was a stand-out woman 629 00:34:24,968 --> 00:34:27,214 in her own right in that capacity. 630 00:34:27,215 --> 00:34:29,314 She was the best, she was better than any men around. 631 00:34:29,315 --> 00:34:30,405 So why not use the best? 632 00:34:33,799 --> 00:34:36,629 I always loved that walking line. 633 00:34:37,881 --> 00:34:39,221 In fact, go like this... 634 00:34:49,257 --> 00:34:54,587 Carol Kaye's bass sound is a really subtle undertone 635 00:34:54,590 --> 00:34:56,798 to a lot of Pet Sounds. 636 00:34:56,799 --> 00:34:59,589 But it's there like an anchor, it's there in I'm Waiting For The Day. 637 00:34:59,590 --> 00:35:05,089 Quite driving guitar and drums, like really pushing the song along, 638 00:35:05,090 --> 00:35:08,970 and then you've got her cool bass notes in there just anchoring it, 639 00:35:08,971 --> 00:35:11,665 you know, keeping it grounded. 640 00:35:11,674 --> 00:35:14,424 Well, she was very creative and she played right on the beat. 641 00:35:14,425 --> 00:35:17,223 She wouldn't like flub up, she would play right on the beat. 642 00:35:19,507 --> 00:35:23,917 When we used to record in those days, we made decisions. 643 00:35:23,923 --> 00:35:27,714 Nothing was left to later because we only had three to four tracks. 644 00:35:27,715 --> 00:35:29,595 If you were putting the rhythm all on one track, 645 00:35:29,598 --> 00:35:33,088 you got your sounds, you've put your delays in, 646 00:35:33,090 --> 00:35:34,718 you did your echo, you did it live, 647 00:35:34,719 --> 00:35:38,125 and that's the sound I hear in my head, that's what I want, let's record it. 648 00:35:38,131 --> 00:35:42,256 ♪ It starts with just a little glance now 649 00:35:42,257 --> 00:35:46,837 ♪ Right away you're thinkin' 'bout romance now 650 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:50,880 ♪ You know you ought to take it slower 651 00:35:50,881 --> 00:35:53,471 ♪ But you just can't wait to get to know her 652 00:35:53,472 --> 00:35:58,715 ♪ A brand new love affair is such a beautiful thing 653 00:36:01,674 --> 00:36:06,964 ♪ But if you're not careful think about the pain it can bring 654 00:36:06,965 --> 00:36:10,214 It's very much the album of someone in their 20s, 655 00:36:10,215 --> 00:36:14,005 that youthful exploration of love. 656 00:36:14,006 --> 00:36:16,166 And there's existential angst in there. 657 00:36:16,173 --> 00:36:22,172 I was uh... Experiencing, you know, love, 658 00:36:22,173 --> 00:36:27,214 and having those kinds of... I mean, it was that time in my life. 659 00:36:27,215 --> 00:36:31,335 The quest of the mid-'60s was to define what love is. 660 00:36:31,340 --> 00:36:34,839 Uh, that's what the counterculture was all about. 661 00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:38,464 It feels genuine to me when I listen to that stuff. 662 00:36:38,465 --> 00:36:42,755 ♪ Right now you think that she's perfection 663 00:36:42,757 --> 00:36:46,506 ♪ This time is really an exception 664 00:36:46,507 --> 00:36:50,587 ♪ Well, you know I hate to be a downer 665 00:36:50,590 --> 00:36:53,260 ♪ But I'm the guy she left before you found her ♪ 666 00:36:53,261 --> 00:36:57,587 We experimented with the musicians a lot, you know. 667 00:36:57,590 --> 00:36:59,714 It was all experimentation, 668 00:36:59,715 --> 00:37:04,964 and went on and on for about two months to get the album recorded. 669 00:37:04,965 --> 00:37:07,464 He had different relationships with different people, 670 00:37:07,465 --> 00:37:09,545 this from the best I can tell. 671 00:37:09,548 --> 00:37:12,378 And that's why he would go from studio to studio 672 00:37:12,382 --> 00:37:15,882 searching out a particular feeling that he was looking for. 673 00:37:15,883 --> 00:37:18,047 And that was a real departure 674 00:37:18,048 --> 00:37:20,528 because all the other Capitol artists had to record at Capitol, 675 00:37:20,531 --> 00:37:22,171 or it was a slap in the face of Capitol. 676 00:37:22,173 --> 00:37:24,723 But we let him record where he wanted to record. 677 00:37:24,724 --> 00:37:27,005 He was bringing in great records. 678 00:37:27,006 --> 00:37:29,506 Brian never came in before 2:00. 679 00:37:29,507 --> 00:37:34,047 It was almost always at Western Studios, Studio Three, 680 00:37:34,048 --> 00:37:37,628 which was a small studio. 681 00:37:37,632 --> 00:37:39,381 And he'd say, "I have a new song." 682 00:37:39,382 --> 00:37:42,922 "I'm writing a new song and I wanna record it." 683 00:37:42,923 --> 00:37:45,880 You would start out... 684 00:37:45,881 --> 00:37:49,214 He basically knew where it was gonna go. 685 00:37:49,215 --> 00:37:52,255 A lot of times we didn't know, and you gotta remember 686 00:37:52,257 --> 00:37:54,687 that we were looking at songs that didn't have titles on it. 687 00:37:54,690 --> 00:37:56,630 It was just the chord sheets, 688 00:37:56,632 --> 00:38:00,260 or maybe a few sketched out lines that Brian would write. 689 00:38:00,261 --> 00:38:03,756 I would hand them all their manuscript papers that I wrote. 690 00:38:03,757 --> 00:38:05,017 Then I'd take each guy and say, 691 00:38:05,023 --> 00:38:07,719 "Let me hear the bass player play it for a minute." 692 00:38:07,720 --> 00:38:11,795 And we'd get them. Then I'd do the guitar players and the pianos, 693 00:38:11,799 --> 00:38:13,589 then the horns. 694 00:38:13,590 --> 00:38:16,964 I talked to them individually and collectively. 695 00:38:16,965 --> 00:38:19,045 They were all good, good for it, for me. 696 00:38:19,048 --> 00:38:23,588 He would sing parts to the guys and they would write it down. 697 00:38:23,590 --> 00:38:26,630 He would lay out the rhythm the way that he wanted it, 698 00:38:26,632 --> 00:38:30,760 and the basslines. I mean, he would work the chart in the room 699 00:38:30,761 --> 00:38:33,047 before he went into the control room. 700 00:38:33,048 --> 00:38:35,378 Because he had it up here. 701 00:38:35,382 --> 00:38:38,182 They took my direction. I'd tell them what to play, and they'd play it. 702 00:38:40,048 --> 00:38:42,468 That's organ, tack piano together. 703 00:38:45,090 --> 00:38:46,880 There were always three pianists. 704 00:38:48,382 --> 00:38:52,256 And there was a special tuning that we arrived at. 705 00:38:52,257 --> 00:38:56,297 So I worked with the piano tuner to try different things, 706 00:38:56,298 --> 00:38:59,588 and I did put tacks on the head of each... 707 00:38:59,590 --> 00:39:00,670 - Yeah. - Each hammer. 708 00:39:02,173 --> 00:39:05,880 And Brian immediately was attracted to it, 709 00:39:05,881 --> 00:39:08,261 and it became kind of a signature sound. 710 00:39:15,632 --> 00:39:19,964 ♪ ... Love is here today 711 00:39:19,965 --> 00:39:23,214 ♪ And it's gone tomorrow 712 00:39:23,215 --> 00:39:28,125 ♪ It's here and gone so fast ♪ 713 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:36,506 They knew he was a special guy, musically. 714 00:39:36,507 --> 00:39:41,047 And sometimes they'd help him write something down in a part, 715 00:39:41,048 --> 00:39:44,378 but it was all up here, in his head, 716 00:39:44,382 --> 00:39:47,422 and he somehow communicated it to all the players. 717 00:39:47,423 --> 00:39:49,547 And sometimes, "Brian, we can't do that." 718 00:39:49,548 --> 00:39:52,078 And then they'd play it, I'd get, "That's pretty good, Brian." 719 00:39:52,081 --> 00:39:53,081 It was so cool. 720 00:39:53,082 --> 00:39:55,172 I would try to develop the arrangement 721 00:39:55,173 --> 00:39:56,969 to fit the song, the melody. 722 00:39:56,970 --> 00:39:58,545 I would write the melody, 723 00:39:58,548 --> 00:40:01,418 then I would try to make the arrangements 724 00:40:01,423 --> 00:40:03,383 kind of like surround the melody. 725 00:40:03,384 --> 00:40:06,214 And we started getting reports about it. 726 00:40:06,215 --> 00:40:09,145 "Brian's doing something really special, guys. He really is." 727 00:40:09,148 --> 00:40:11,878 But we were touring Japan. 728 00:40:11,881 --> 00:40:14,631 As soon as we got back, we began to listen to the material. 729 00:40:14,732 --> 00:40:16,760 He couldn't wait for us to get down to the studio. 730 00:40:16,861 --> 00:40:19,157 He didn't care about jetlag or any of that stuff. 731 00:40:19,965 --> 00:40:21,665 Didn't mean anything to him. 732 00:40:21,674 --> 00:40:27,839 But it was sobering. We had to really buckle down. 733 00:40:27,840 --> 00:40:30,339 Now in the case of Here Today and about half of Pet Sounds, 734 00:40:30,340 --> 00:40:34,964 Brian cut the vocals at CBS up the street. 735 00:40:34,965 --> 00:40:36,464 I think primarily because they had 736 00:40:36,465 --> 00:40:39,085 the only one one-inch eight-track in town. 737 00:40:39,090 --> 00:40:41,468 I have a couple three-tracks of backgrounds. 738 00:40:41,469 --> 00:40:44,545 ♪ Right away you're thinkin' 'bout romance now 739 00:40:50,423 --> 00:40:52,922 - They're probably doubled or tripled. - Doubled, yeah. 740 00:40:52,923 --> 00:40:55,547 I think he's a visionary. 741 00:40:55,548 --> 00:40:58,338 He's a musical visionary, as well as a social... 742 00:40:58,340 --> 00:41:01,880 In a social context as well, a visionary. 743 00:41:02,423 --> 00:41:04,381 Uh... 744 00:41:04,382 --> 00:41:06,512 He sees things I don't think the rest of us see. 745 00:41:06,513 --> 00:41:10,007 And hears things, certainly, that we don't hear. 746 00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:12,839 So, he's one of those special... 747 00:41:12,840 --> 00:41:17,798 He's got a special receiver going on up there in his brain. 748 00:41:17,799 --> 00:41:24,214 Brian truly is the most gifted music person that I've ever met. 749 00:41:24,215 --> 00:41:26,964 I hate it when they call him genius, because... 750 00:41:26,965 --> 00:41:29,125 And they're right, but don't do that. 751 00:41:29,131 --> 00:41:31,230 That's too big of a load to carry on your shoulders, 752 00:41:31,231 --> 00:41:32,231 but he's so gifted. 753 00:41:33,131 --> 00:41:35,921 He didn't realise his talent. 754 00:41:37,465 --> 00:41:40,125 I still think he doesn't. 755 00:41:40,131 --> 00:41:41,841 One of the magical things about Brian 756 00:41:41,842 --> 00:41:46,339 is he was able to describe, without having it on the written page, 757 00:41:46,340 --> 00:41:49,170 exactly the sound that he heard. 758 00:41:49,173 --> 00:41:50,513 Boy, then you'd hear them 759 00:41:50,514 --> 00:41:56,127 as they were transformed, really, in that process. 760 00:41:56,131 --> 00:41:58,880 It was... It was staggering. 761 00:41:58,881 --> 00:42:00,921 Then when he heard it, that was it, 762 00:42:00,923 --> 00:42:02,969 and that was The Beach Boys sound. 763 00:42:02,970 --> 00:42:06,045 I don't know what your definition of genius is, 764 00:42:06,048 --> 00:42:07,468 but he certainly might be. 765 00:42:07,469 --> 00:42:10,045 I think genius just means clever. 766 00:42:10,048 --> 00:42:12,798 I don't think it has any real meaning. 767 00:42:12,799 --> 00:42:16,258 It just means you're good at something, genius. Like, you know... 768 00:42:16,259 --> 00:42:18,047 Like Albert Einstein was a genius. 769 00:42:18,048 --> 00:42:22,714 ♪ Hang on to your ego 770 00:42:22,715 --> 00:42:27,545 ♪ Hang on, but I know that you're gonna lose the fight 771 00:42:29,465 --> 00:42:31,464 ♪ They come on like they're peaceful 772 00:42:31,465 --> 00:42:34,915 ♪ But inside they're so uptight 773 00:42:37,340 --> 00:42:40,170 ♪ They trip through the day 774 00:42:40,173 --> 00:42:41,693 ♪ And waste all their thoughts at night 775 00:42:46,257 --> 00:42:49,417 ♪ Now how can I say it 776 00:42:51,215 --> 00:42:53,464 ♪ And how can I come on 777 00:42:53,465 --> 00:42:56,165 ♪ When I know I'm guilty? 778 00:42:57,131 --> 00:43:00,798 There was a lot of LSD around. 779 00:43:00,799 --> 00:43:05,839 Brian heard that sometimes the acid gives you certain colours 780 00:43:05,840 --> 00:43:09,798 that you didn't know existed, et cetera, et cetera. 781 00:43:09,799 --> 00:43:13,299 I think he was experimenting a little bit then, too. 782 00:43:13,300 --> 00:43:17,547 He told us that he was doing acid during California Girls. "Oh!" 783 00:43:17,548 --> 00:43:20,468 I was very sceptical about doing any of that stuff, 784 00:43:21,090 --> 00:43:23,089 and looked askance at 785 00:43:23,090 --> 00:43:27,260 anything having to do with that kind of drug culture influence. 786 00:43:27,261 --> 00:43:32,417 ♪ Hang on to your ego 787 00:43:32,423 --> 00:43:37,423 ♪ Hang on, but I know that you're gonna lose the fight ♪ 788 00:43:38,590 --> 00:43:42,670 Mike disagreed on Hang On To Your Ego, 789 00:43:42,674 --> 00:43:45,922 which allegedly is, if you take LSD, 790 00:43:45,923 --> 00:43:48,214 you have to hang on to your ego. 791 00:43:48,215 --> 00:43:51,255 He didn't really think that fit the image 792 00:43:51,257 --> 00:43:53,627 of The Beach Boys, to allude to that. 793 00:43:53,632 --> 00:43:59,130 To me, that was a little too drug-influenced. 794 00:43:59,131 --> 00:44:02,591 This track has been subject to all kinds of speculation and contention 795 00:44:02,592 --> 00:44:07,130 that this was the track that got fought over, 796 00:44:07,131 --> 00:44:10,214 and that Mike didn't like the lyrics. 797 00:44:10,215 --> 00:44:12,795 ♪ They come on like they're peaceful 798 00:44:12,799 --> 00:44:15,589 ♪ But inside they're so uptight ♪ 799 00:44:16,923 --> 00:44:18,882 Why don't I do a Jimmy Durante? 800 00:44:18,883 --> 00:44:21,301 ♪ They come on like they're peaceful 801 00:44:21,302 --> 00:44:23,964 ♪ But inside they're so uptight ♪ 802 00:44:23,965 --> 00:44:25,464 Okay, I'm sorry. 803 00:44:25,465 --> 00:44:28,505 Do a take for our roll-ins. I'd love a take like that 804 00:44:28,507 --> 00:44:30,547 - as soon as we're done, okay? - Check. 805 00:44:30,548 --> 00:44:33,878 All I was saying is I would make my feelings known 806 00:44:33,881 --> 00:44:39,671 if I felt it was going too far out on a limb, lyrically or conceptually, 807 00:44:39,674 --> 00:44:44,339 having some relationship to some kind of drugs and stuff like that. 808 00:44:44,340 --> 00:44:49,008 I didn't know what an ego was at the time, but I learned very quickly. 809 00:44:49,009 --> 00:44:52,586 So I came up with an alternative lyric called I Know There's An Answer. 810 00:44:52,590 --> 00:44:55,510 ♪ I know there's an answer 811 00:44:56,632 --> 00:45:01,632 ♪ I know now but I have to find it by myself ♪ 812 00:45:14,173 --> 00:45:16,506 But the two exist. 813 00:45:16,507 --> 00:45:20,837 And I Know There's An Answer is what came out on the Pet Sounds issue. 814 00:45:20,840 --> 00:45:26,756 It is my great suspicion that the experimentation that had to happen 815 00:45:26,757 --> 00:45:29,417 for Brian to become the great artist that he was 816 00:45:29,423 --> 00:45:31,551 had nothing to do with chemicals. 817 00:45:31,552 --> 00:45:34,878 If drugs made you a genius, we'd have a lot more Pet Sounds. 818 00:45:34,881 --> 00:45:37,714 And we do not. 819 00:45:37,715 --> 00:45:40,875 He didn't necessarily explain what it was he was trying to do. 820 00:45:40,881 --> 00:45:44,464 But he acknowledged that this was different stuff. 821 00:45:44,465 --> 00:45:47,214 He said, "I don't wanna keep doing the same stuff over and over." 822 00:45:47,215 --> 00:45:49,625 If you went back and looked at all of the Beach Boys stuff 823 00:45:49,632 --> 00:45:52,547 that was created prior to that, 824 00:45:52,548 --> 00:45:53,718 there was a sameness to it. 825 00:45:53,723 --> 00:45:56,089 And it was good, very good 826 00:45:56,090 --> 00:45:59,260 and it wasn't like anybody was getting tired of it, really. 827 00:45:59,261 --> 00:46:00,917 I don't think. 828 00:46:00,923 --> 00:46:02,839 But, you know... 829 00:46:02,840 --> 00:46:05,670 Mike said, "Don't fuck with the formula." 830 00:46:05,674 --> 00:46:09,724 He said, "Why are we trying to... We've got this great thing" 831 00:46:09,725 --> 00:46:14,295 "and until somebody can show me that it's not working," 832 00:46:14,298 --> 00:46:17,756 "why are we fumbling around trying to find something else?" 833 00:46:17,757 --> 00:46:19,117 Well, that's not a crazy question. 834 00:46:19,123 --> 00:46:22,364 I mean, that's a reasonable question to ask. 835 00:46:22,465 --> 00:46:25,255 But, um... But Brian saw it in a whole different way, 836 00:46:25,257 --> 00:46:28,756 which was, "God, I've done that. It's boring, I'm tired of it." 837 00:46:28,757 --> 00:46:31,067 That was something that would never have occurred to Mike. 838 00:46:31,074 --> 00:46:33,839 He said, "Don't mess with the formula." 839 00:46:33,840 --> 00:46:37,880 I said, "I want to advance to a better music place." 840 00:46:37,881 --> 00:46:40,801 We wouldn't have had as good an album if I didn't. You know? 841 00:46:40,802 --> 00:46:47,714 Part of that, I think, led to me getting a bad rap 842 00:46:47,715 --> 00:46:51,665 for, quote-unquote, not liking Pet Sounds 843 00:46:51,674 --> 00:46:54,464 or something, which is absolute... 844 00:46:54,465 --> 00:46:58,295 You know, it's just absolute falsehood. 845 00:46:58,298 --> 00:47:01,964 'Cause not only did I name the album "Pet Sounds," 846 00:47:01,965 --> 00:47:05,125 and went with Brian to present it to Capitol Records, 847 00:47:05,131 --> 00:47:09,631 but I sang on every single song that was sung on. 848 00:47:09,632 --> 00:47:12,798 I was very satisfied. Tony was, too. 849 00:47:12,799 --> 00:47:16,964 We both were. We both thought we really achieved a good album. 850 00:47:16,965 --> 00:47:19,714 Brian and I went off to Capitol Records to play it for Karl Engemann 851 00:47:19,715 --> 00:47:23,005 who was the AandR man for Capitol Records. 852 00:47:23,006 --> 00:47:26,126 Capitol Records loved The Beach Boys. 853 00:47:26,131 --> 00:47:28,341 I mean, they didn't criticise them in any way, 854 00:47:28,342 --> 00:47:31,510 except they thought that maybe going in the direction of Pet Sounds 855 00:47:31,511 --> 00:47:34,837 wasn't something that was... 856 00:47:34,840 --> 00:47:38,714 It wasn't gonna be as wonderful as the hot rod records, 857 00:47:38,715 --> 00:47:41,335 the surfing records, those kinds of things. 858 00:47:41,340 --> 00:47:44,360 I couldn't understand why they didn't like it. I said, "This is good music." 859 00:47:44,361 --> 00:47:46,667 They said, "It's not commercial music." 860 00:47:46,674 --> 00:47:48,724 Brian thought it would never be released 861 00:47:48,725 --> 00:47:51,505 because Capitol wanted that surf thing. 862 00:47:51,507 --> 00:47:55,297 That's what was selling. 863 00:47:55,298 --> 00:47:58,418 So they didn't release it and a little bit later, a few weeks later, 864 00:47:58,423 --> 00:48:00,383 they said, "Okay, we'll release it." 865 00:48:00,384 --> 00:48:04,381 So they released it on the market and it didn't sell very good. 866 00:48:04,382 --> 00:48:08,631 It hadn't gone the same height on the charts as some of the prior records. 867 00:48:08,632 --> 00:48:12,381 So Capitol, right away, in order to make quota, 868 00:48:12,382 --> 00:48:14,412 they hurried and put out a Best Of The Beach Boys. 869 00:48:14,413 --> 00:48:17,714 We were in competition with our history. 870 00:48:17,715 --> 00:48:20,545 The faith of the label was right there, everybody. 871 00:48:20,548 --> 00:48:22,088 "We have Pet Sounds out." 872 00:48:22,090 --> 00:48:23,718 "By the way, we're going to put out." 873 00:48:23,719 --> 00:48:25,665 "Best Of The Beach Boys volume one." 874 00:48:25,674 --> 00:48:27,172 Can you believe that? 875 00:48:27,173 --> 00:48:28,880 It's just so asinine. 876 00:48:28,881 --> 00:48:32,050 It didn't do as well as some of the other albums 877 00:48:32,051 --> 00:48:34,418 and it might have if there had been more 878 00:48:34,423 --> 00:48:35,882 of a spirit within the company that. 879 00:48:35,883 --> 00:48:37,921 "This is great. We'll push this thing" 880 00:48:37,923 --> 00:48:39,882 "we'll take it where it should be." 881 00:48:39,883 --> 00:48:41,671 It's not what we were expecting. 882 00:48:41,674 --> 00:48:43,592 We're actually grateful for that. 883 00:48:43,593 --> 00:48:46,300 My God, why do you want only what people expect? 884 00:48:46,301 --> 00:48:49,506 How sad that is. 885 00:48:49,507 --> 00:48:51,087 They just didn't understand it. 886 00:48:51,090 --> 00:48:53,005 The direction, 887 00:48:53,006 --> 00:48:55,005 they didn't know what to do with it. 888 00:48:55,006 --> 00:48:56,796 They're a marketing firm. 889 00:48:56,799 --> 00:48:59,547 How do you market The Beach Boys with Pet Sounds? 890 00:48:59,548 --> 00:49:01,508 "Well, we'll send you down to the San Diego Zoo" 891 00:49:01,509 --> 00:49:04,506 "we'll photograph you with a bunch of damn goats." 892 00:49:04,507 --> 00:49:06,877 I mean, what's that all about? 893 00:49:06,881 --> 00:49:09,421 That was the biggest miscarriage of justice of all. 894 00:49:59,757 --> 00:50:02,464 After the album was mixed, 895 00:50:02,465 --> 00:50:04,255 Bruce was off to England. 896 00:50:04,257 --> 00:50:07,837 I took two copies of Pet Sounds with me. 897 00:50:07,840 --> 00:50:11,506 With the sole intention of promoting the album 898 00:50:11,507 --> 00:50:13,967 and playing it to people for the first time. 899 00:50:13,968 --> 00:50:18,464 Derek Taylor was our publicist and he just set up 900 00:50:18,465 --> 00:50:20,045 about 25 interviews for me. 901 00:50:20,048 --> 00:50:23,668 I got to meet him at the Waldorf Hotel. 902 00:50:23,674 --> 00:50:27,761 Journalists came over. I think that's probably how I met Keith Altham. 903 00:50:27,762 --> 00:50:30,007 And one of his people came and said, 904 00:50:30,008 --> 00:50:34,166 "Lennon and McCartney are in your room," 905 00:50:34,173 --> 00:50:37,714 "they want to hear the album. Can you go up and play it to them?" 906 00:50:37,715 --> 00:50:39,765 I played them the album and they heard it two times, 907 00:50:39,774 --> 00:50:42,005 and they were delightful. 908 00:50:42,006 --> 00:50:44,666 He played it to them twice. They loved it. 909 00:50:44,674 --> 00:50:47,883 Paul McCartney said God Only Knows was the perfect song. 910 00:50:47,884 --> 00:50:49,718 This will be take one. 911 00:50:49,719 --> 00:50:51,215 Take one, God Only Knows. 912 00:50:54,090 --> 00:50:55,340 One... Two... 913 00:51:22,423 --> 00:51:25,383 Okay, could we go to the spot where the... 914 00:51:27,423 --> 00:51:28,756 That spot. 915 00:51:28,757 --> 00:51:30,837 Well, that part was... 916 00:51:37,257 --> 00:51:38,367 And it was bothering Brian. 917 00:51:38,373 --> 00:51:41,381 And we had done it a number of times. 918 00:51:41,382 --> 00:51:43,547 And my suggestion was, 919 00:51:43,548 --> 00:51:45,628 "Brian, why don't we play it short?" 920 00:51:45,632 --> 00:51:47,381 He said, "What do you mean?" 921 00:51:51,131 --> 00:51:52,714 Almost pizzicato. 922 00:51:52,715 --> 00:51:54,214 Brian. Yeah. 923 00:51:54,215 --> 00:51:56,415 Why don't we do it short? Like this. 924 00:52:05,423 --> 00:52:06,423 We'll try it. 925 00:52:08,965 --> 00:52:12,255 Yeah, I remember that. 926 00:52:12,257 --> 00:52:14,506 - Yeah. - Don Randi kind of came up with that. 927 00:52:14,507 --> 00:52:16,964 - Right. - To play it staccato. 928 00:52:16,965 --> 00:52:20,585 It's so musical that it's a pleasure to play with it. 929 00:52:20,590 --> 00:52:22,839 I don't think Brian ever realised 930 00:52:22,840 --> 00:52:26,964 that what he was doing was so incredibly wonderful. 931 00:52:26,965 --> 00:52:29,295 God Only Knows makes a deep love song 932 00:52:29,298 --> 00:52:31,758 because Tony Asher had a lot of love in his heart. 933 00:52:31,759 --> 00:52:33,256 He wrote great love lyrics. 934 00:52:33,257 --> 00:52:35,756 Match made in heaven for those two. 935 00:52:35,757 --> 00:52:37,837 They could evolve something like that. 936 00:52:38,465 --> 00:52:40,214 And to such perfection. 937 00:52:40,215 --> 00:52:42,875 One of the greatest love songs of all time 938 00:52:42,881 --> 00:52:45,050 begins with "I may not always love you." 939 00:52:45,051 --> 00:52:48,128 Which is the antithesis of what people want in a love song. 940 00:52:48,131 --> 00:52:51,839 We held each other up to a certain standard 941 00:52:51,840 --> 00:52:54,670 and said, "We don't wanna do that same old stuff." 942 00:52:54,674 --> 00:52:57,544 You know, another love song, "I love you because..." You know, whatever. 943 00:52:57,545 --> 00:53:04,170 So that's how when I would come up with a line 944 00:53:04,173 --> 00:53:06,839 like, "I may not always love you," 945 00:53:06,840 --> 00:53:10,130 Brian might have said at that time, 946 00:53:10,131 --> 00:53:12,130 "What?" 947 00:53:12,131 --> 00:53:14,297 But he would only have said it once. 948 00:53:14,298 --> 00:53:16,718 If I said, "Don't worry about it, Brian, that's a good line," 949 00:53:16,719 --> 00:53:18,505 he would have said, "Okay." 950 00:53:18,507 --> 00:53:21,547 And then he would have listened to it a few times and say, "Yeah, I like it." 951 00:53:21,648 --> 00:53:23,838 I think "I may not always love you" was the great line, 952 00:53:23,940 --> 00:53:24,990 yeah, that he wrote. 953 00:53:24,991 --> 00:53:29,439 ♪ I may not always love you 954 00:53:29,440 --> 00:53:32,880 ♪ But long as there are stars above you 955 00:53:32,881 --> 00:53:36,005 ♪ You never need to doubt it 956 00:53:36,006 --> 00:53:41,296 ♪ I'll make you so sure about it 957 00:53:41,298 --> 00:53:45,838 ♪ God only knows what I'd be without you 958 00:53:48,090 --> 00:53:51,380 I'm surprised Brian didn't sing it himself. 959 00:53:51,382 --> 00:53:54,089 But he wanted Carl to have it. 960 00:53:54,090 --> 00:53:58,047 ♪ Though life would still go on, believe me 961 00:53:58,048 --> 00:54:01,047 ♪ The world could show nothing to me 962 00:54:01,048 --> 00:54:05,297 ♪ So what good would living do me 963 00:54:05,298 --> 00:54:09,298 ♪ God only knows what I'd be without you ♪ 964 00:54:12,006 --> 00:54:14,046 Carl had an ethereal voice. Beautiful. 965 00:54:14,048 --> 00:54:16,217 Brian understood the great character 966 00:54:16,218 --> 00:54:18,375 of the voices in The Beach Boys, 967 00:54:18,382 --> 00:54:22,506 and wrote to those characters beautifully. 968 00:54:22,507 --> 00:54:26,667 And it's not like Brian was the best voice for all of his songs. 969 00:54:26,674 --> 00:54:30,304 I remember when I first ever heard the record of God Only Knows. 970 00:54:30,305 --> 00:54:33,256 When that came out, I was blown away. 971 00:54:33,257 --> 00:54:36,167 Again, the harmonies, the intricacy 972 00:54:36,173 --> 00:54:38,631 of the arrangements, it was wonderful. 973 00:54:38,632 --> 00:54:41,092 And to actually be asked to go on tour with them was a thrill. 974 00:54:41,093 --> 00:54:44,010 And now come the backgrounds. 975 00:55:00,382 --> 00:55:05,012 ♪ God only knows what I'd be without you 976 00:55:06,632 --> 00:55:11,130 ♪ If you should ever leave me 977 00:55:11,131 --> 00:55:15,130 ♪ Though life would still go on believe me 978 00:55:15,131 --> 00:55:18,964 ♪ The world could show nothing to me 979 00:55:18,965 --> 00:55:23,214 ♪ So what good would living do me? 980 00:55:23,215 --> 00:55:29,545 ♪ God only knows what I'd be without you 981 00:55:29,548 --> 00:55:31,508 I think they liked the lyrics. 982 00:55:31,509 --> 00:55:34,297 It's a great love song, a great love lyric. 983 00:55:34,298 --> 00:55:37,297 They all told me they liked it. They said, "I love this song." 984 00:55:37,298 --> 00:55:38,714 They told me that. 985 00:55:38,715 --> 00:55:39,915 There's Bruce. 986 00:55:44,298 --> 00:55:48,088 ♪ God only knows what I'd be without you ♪ 987 00:55:48,090 --> 00:55:49,460 And there's a part you didn't use. 988 00:55:49,461 --> 00:55:50,917 Right. 989 00:55:53,298 --> 00:55:54,628 I always liked it. 990 00:55:54,632 --> 00:55:56,341 - I didn't use that. - No. 991 00:55:56,342 --> 00:55:58,509 You know, the first time I really got 992 00:55:58,510 --> 00:56:00,217 what he was doing was God Only Knows. 993 00:56:02,423 --> 00:56:03,973 We talked about 994 00:56:05,840 --> 00:56:09,008 something very esoteric within... Like a family. 995 00:56:09,009 --> 00:56:13,086 When a brother has a secret, but allows you to know it in an art form. 996 00:56:13,090 --> 00:56:14,610 He was able to organise his thoughts... 997 00:56:16,757 --> 00:56:20,797 To a point where they were hypnotic but yet entertaining, 998 00:56:20,799 --> 00:56:23,506 meaningful and spiritual, too. 999 00:56:23,507 --> 00:56:25,256 For want of a better phrase, 1000 00:56:25,257 --> 00:56:27,506 it's where rock and roll becomes a religious experience. 1001 00:56:27,507 --> 00:56:32,547 The sentiment that he has in it towards, like, 1002 00:56:32,548 --> 00:56:35,628 God only knows how much I love you, you know, only God knows. 1003 00:56:35,632 --> 00:56:38,589 Because it's a feeling within myself that nobody else can know, 1004 00:56:38,590 --> 00:56:39,590 except God. 1005 00:56:40,548 --> 00:56:45,838 ♪ God only knows what I'd be without you 1006 00:56:48,423 --> 00:56:51,964 ♪ God only knows what I'd be without you ♪ 1007 00:56:51,965 --> 00:56:54,375 I was so inspired that I wrote a great album. 1008 00:56:54,382 --> 00:56:56,798 I knew people would like it, I knew they would. 1009 00:56:56,799 --> 00:56:57,799 Half a century later, 1010 00:56:57,800 --> 00:57:01,169 we're still reckoning with this record because 1011 00:57:01,173 --> 00:57:05,422 Brian went as deep as pop music can go. 1012 00:57:05,423 --> 00:57:08,089 It put the standards up. 1013 00:57:08,090 --> 00:57:10,089 It said, "This is how good it can be." 1014 00:57:10,090 --> 00:57:12,549 "You better go away and think about it,." 1015 00:57:12,550 --> 00:57:16,007 "Mr Lennon and McCartney, Mr Jagger and Richards, Mr Townshend." 1016 00:57:16,008 --> 00:57:19,005 "You better go away and think about what you're doing next" 1017 00:57:19,006 --> 00:57:21,506 "because it could be this good." 1018 00:57:21,507 --> 00:57:24,417 It was something that hadn't been done before 1019 00:57:24,423 --> 00:57:27,422 and everything else came after that. 1020 00:57:27,423 --> 00:57:30,381 It took 20 years for it to go platinum. 1021 00:57:30,382 --> 00:57:33,256 It was ridiculous how long it took. 1022 00:57:33,257 --> 00:57:35,287 And yet at the same time it was regarded so highly. 1023 00:57:35,290 --> 00:57:38,210 One of the great albums of all time, maybe the greatest album of all time. 1024 00:57:39,423 --> 00:57:40,756 It's a piece of art. 1025 00:57:40,757 --> 00:57:46,797 Sonic art, vocal art that'll last forever, it has everything in it. 1026 00:57:46,799 --> 00:57:50,009 It has really fabulous chord structures, arrangements, 1027 00:57:50,010 --> 00:57:52,464 performance, 1028 00:57:52,465 --> 00:57:53,465 great songs to sing. 1029 00:57:54,715 --> 00:57:58,085 He did something with Pet Sounds to me, all right. 1030 00:57:58,090 --> 00:58:00,090 He opened the door for a lot of people. 1031 00:58:00,548 --> 00:58:02,878 Especially me. 1032 00:58:02,881 --> 00:58:04,800 A lot of people are uplifted by it. 1033 00:58:04,801 --> 00:58:06,798 He grew immensely during that time. 1034 00:58:06,799 --> 00:58:09,919 And he's being rewarded for it now, 50 years later. 1035 00:58:09,923 --> 00:58:11,464 Isn't that nice? 1036 00:58:11,465 --> 00:58:15,625 My love for music inspires me. I love music. 1037 00:58:15,632 --> 00:58:19,297 ♪ I had to prove I could make it alone now 1038 00:58:19,298 --> 00:58:20,468 ♪ But that's not me 1039 00:58:23,799 --> 00:58:27,129 ♪ I wanted to show how independent I've grown now 1040 00:58:27,131 --> 00:58:29,971 ♪ But that's not me 1041 00:58:32,298 --> 00:58:37,005 ♪ I could try to be big in the eyes of the world 1042 00:58:37,006 --> 00:58:45,006 ♪ What matters to me is what I could be to just one girl ♪